Who Is Winning The Browser Story Wars?

TV is changing, in the last few months I have seen much more dynamic adverts wanting you to participate with browser based games or that of the browser itself.

The big players of search are battling out with new commercials trying to gain interest and promote awareness. The browser story war is in full swing, what sides are there? Microsoft V Google.

These promotional browser commercials used to drive usage. Drawing and retaining new users to browsers rather than to actually sell products or services, in the traditional way. As well as being quite surprisingly entertaining on a level that quite frankly that most product orientated commercials have failed to do.

Google jumped off with a big push for Google Chrome, showcasing a success story of Jamal Edwards the founder of SBTV.

Some time later after Google has put out a couple of commercials, we see Microsoft outputting a video commercial. I say video because its beyond TV we see these Ads. Sometimes just before YouTube videos (even Microsoft’s IE one!). And why shouldn’t we? It is a video format nothing should be kept for one viewing platform. Should we have to watch a compulsory 15+ second commercial? That’s another question.

Then came the question, Who is winning the browser story wars?

Microsoft Internet Explorer vs Google Chrome: The Story War

With both companies going in different directions. They both really capture the essence of what their brands mean and who they align with.

For instance, Google simplistic aesthetics and easy to follow video – really does Show Rather Than Tell what they are about. Simple, fast and oh look what can be achieved with us.

Where on the other hand we have Microsoft where its more focused on the benefits of the browser. In case you couldn’t quite get it through the video display of what this browser offers you the user, they are highlighted, Telling You words associated with What is going on.

Microsoft Explorer

What’s the story:

The web is now a beautiful and highly entertaining platform which we can provide. Buzzwords being chucked in to break up the chapters: Story, Alive, artistic, high definition, fast, fluid. Its fast paced without, having to mention it within the ad. The music and highly paced visuals demonstrate this will give you great performance.

Who’s it for:

To align with Microsofts brand this story has sided more so with its entertainment part of the corporation. A fast paced narrative to allure those who already have the application installed to upgrade. Also the casual gamers, artists wanting to make use of a new, faster browser.

How are people responding

Youtube stats as follows

Views: 1,158,192

Likes: 4,691

Dislikes: 1,861

Google Chrome

What’s the story:

The video gives a brief overview of the success story that comes from the British urban music video pioneer, Jamal Edwards.
Googles Chrome story is more closer to the startup mentality and instead of putting words to say What they are. They show it by associating with SBTV, a UK urban website promoting all things music from the streets of London to now a global audience. This brand would not have accomplished it without that of YouTube. This is what you can do, be a part of it. The story informs the audience.

Also the music that accompanies the video is part of what SBTV do and provide and brings much more relevance to the piece as a whole.

Who’s it for:

Young entrepreneurial people with a vision to succeed and an idea big enough to capture peoples hearts.

How are people responding:

Youtube stats as follows

Views: 5,186,610

Likes: 4,052

Dislikes: 344

Verdict?

Well I think for such a corporate company as Microsoft they are going through some big internal changes to develop something so close to being on key. But Google, from the statistics has to be the winner. This story is a quick insight of how Jamal Edwards pushed his urban media empire around hot new artists and behind the scenes footage from the streets of London via Google’s YouTube platform.

Is it all about the statistics? No, the human touch and low budget filming that relates to a large target audience. The music, the build up the characters of the Google Chrome story is much more a finished and coherent product.

Rather than what Microsoft has done by association of images, soundtrack and other aspects.

Though returning to the point that Google said they would rely on word of mouth marketing. There has been such an increase in TV ads displaying websites and MMO(such as Runescape) games that this would be a opportunity not to miss out on.

This demand of TV space through the increase of iTV and digital merging capabilities will surely continue and replace most of the product commercials that we use to see today. Unless carefully targeted and relevant to the topics or entertainment we choose to watch. Rather than to disrupt our viewing experience.

Within time, engagement will be the new currency. Audience attention will be expected and engagement will be highly sought after.

About The Author

Dan

Brand Narrative Researcher & Designer. Driver and explorer of new innovative branding and marketing fields. With diverse experience working with planning and delivering global digital campaigns for some of the worlds largest FMCG brands. If you have a question or would like to get in touch please do connect with me, on twitter @NovelInfluence or on Google+

http://www.omarkattan.com/ Omar Kattan

Great read Dan. I do agree with you, Google has told a better story with its Chrome browser.

The example you provided (Jamal Edwards) is case in point. They’ve created a hero (brand protagonist) out of a Chrome user and drove the message home with a real life story. Brilliant! Doesn’t get any better than that.

Microsoft could learn a lesson or two from Google about brand storytelling.